The Perfectionist
by MarluxiaSutcliff116
Summary: In the small, sleepy town of Emerose, life seems ideal for Syo Kurusu and his five best That is, until his peaceful, content life is shattered and scattered by the wind when a mysterious killer They call them self 'The Bits of romance here and there/overall not happy/partner pairings/mainly SyoNatsuki
1. It's Unbelievable

**The Perfectionist**

* * *

I can't believe what's just happened. It's just _unbelievable!_ Hence the word!

**Unbelievable: to unrealistic or improbable to be believed. **

This entire thing is just too much. It's too much to take in, too much to come to terms with…too much to forget…

This has to be a nightmare, it just has to be. That's why this whole thing is just so goddamn horrifying, it has to be a nightmare.

But I'm not asleep. I'm wide awake on this train, going only God knows where. I don't care. Anywhere but…back there. I think I'd rather die than be within a thousand miles of that town ever again.

I'm just going to let this train take me wherever, and I'll go and go and go until there are no more stops, then I'll get on another train and go even further! I know a plane would be faster, and probably less expensive, but screw that! Heights are…ack, just no!

Well…I've sure got the time, so I think I'll listen to my psychiatrist's advice. She said that it would be best if I just wrote down everything that happened, every little detail, and then maybe it would finally just…ah, I don't know.

I just don't want to remember anymore, and she said it might help me forget, so here it goes.

* * *

The town of Emerose is small, with barely one hundred people to its name.

This is my home. There's not much to do, other than hang around with my five best friends.

We've all been friends since preschool, we just sort of fit together, like a puzzle. Each piece is different, but they all come together to form a picture in the end.

At least that's how _I_ always saw it.

Apparently, I was the only one.

My name is Syo, by the way. Syo Kurusu, and boy do I have a story to tell you.

* * *

"Hey guys! Common! I got a new soccer ball, so we can play again!"

A redheaded ball of hyper that answered to the name Otoya bounced up and down in excitement.

Masato and Tokiya looked disinterested, but the remaining three rolled up their metaphorical sleeves and rose from their spot in the shade of an ancient oak tree in the park to join their friend on the field.

After an hour of playing, the four boys collapsed beneath the tree once more, but not before Natsuki tossed out the water bottles he had brought.

Ren downed nearly all of his on one gulp, whereas Otoya and Syo took their time with their sips. Natsuki, however, had been the one doing the most running, so he decided to focus on breathing first, before he took a drink.

As soon as Otoya's thirst had been adequately quenched he immediately gravitated towards Tokiya, prodding him, running his mouth a mile a minute, and literally all over him although it was blatantly obvious that the latter was annoyed.

"And did you see when I tripped? I really thought I was gonna fall! It was lucky that Ren was right there, don't you think? And I saw the prettiest butterfly out there too! It was a swallowtail! You never see those anymore!"

Tokiya sighed in frustration. "Otoya, please, stop talking."

The redhead bit his lip, but said no more.

Even Masato shook his head at Otoya's ignorance, but, sadly for him, that only drew Ren's attention.

"Ooh, you should flip your hair like that again. Makes you look even more attractive."

Masato turned to glare at the dirty-blond addressing him, but his look was reciprocated with a smirk that was more of a leer.

"Sexy."

Masato's mouth turned down further and he looked away crossly.

"On that note." Syo interrupted before things could get out of hand. "Natsuki's place tomorrow, got it? Meet here, like usual, and we'll go from there."

Everybody rose from their spots and dispersed with the usual 'goodbye' and 'see you tomorrow'.

As Ren and Masato went in one direction and Otoya and Tokiya went the opposite, Syo and Natsuki exchanged a glance.

With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Natsuki suddenly leapt from the ground, up into the tree they had all been sitting underneath.

Syo pouted slightly at this. "Oi! You know I can't get up there by myself!"

Syo and Natsuki loved this tree. It was where they came when they really wanted to be alone after their friends departed, and they were the only ones who had found a way to climb into the huge thing. Well, Natsuki did, anyway.

The blond smiled from his place among the foliage, the green of the leaves nicely complimenting his eyes.

"Don't worry Syo. Just give me your hand."

He held his hand down to the smaller, who took it without hesitation.

Natsuki pulled Syo up high enough to where he could manage to get a hold on the tree himself, and once he was righted he made his way over to the large branch Natsuki was luxuriating on.

The taller blond grabbed him gently around the waist and pulled Syo on top of him carefully so they wouldn't fall and Syo smiled, kissing the hand that came up to brush his bangs from his face.

"You really are stronger than you look, you know."

Natsuki chuckled lightly and kissed the top of Syo's head. "When it comes to you, I can do anything. I love you so much, Syo."

The petite blond smiled and sighed in contentment, squirming up until he was nuzzled underneath Natsuki's chin with his eyes closed.

"I love you more."

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**So yeah...uhm...*wrings hands* ahem. The idea for this came to me during the summer, during a time of stress and when I basically had no fucks to give about what anyone thought I was writing...At the time it seemed like a good idea, but now...not so much. Lemme know how this goes. I'm curious.**_

_**characters © you all should know I don't own Uta Pri**_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116 **_


	2. Though Not Impossible

"Otoya! Would you hurry up and come on! Quit harassing the poor animal before it swoops down there and has a go at you."

The redhead in question directed a puppy-eyed glance at the raven chastising him. "But Toki! I only wanted to see the babies."

The mother robin who was being pestered twittered loudly, and Otoya, shocked by the sudden loud call only inches from his ear, teetered and fell with a yelp.

Right on top of Tokiya.

All of the breath left the raven in one fell swoop and he shoved Otoya off of him, gasping. "I swear, give me one good reason not to kill you."

Otoya paused for a moment, then grinned and pecked Tokiya on the end of his nose, stating simply. "'Cause you love me!"

And with that, he was up and bouncing back to their four other friends, who had by now walked ahead of them.

As Tokiya caught up to the others, Masato elbowed Ren in the gut. "Ren, I'm warning you, if you grab my ass _one more time_."

Ren winced slightly, then smiled lazily in the bluette's direction. "Or what?"

Masato glared at him venomously, but said nothing.

All this time Natsuki was practically carrying Syo. With his arms wrapped around the small blond's waist, his feet were barely touching the ground anymore.

Said blond pouted slightly. "Natsuki, really, put me down."

The emerald-eyed male squirmed. "But Syo is so cute! I couldn't possibly let go!"

Syo let his head fall back in slight exasperation.

"Alright alright, we get it Syo, you don't need to be so dramatic."

Syo raised his head, then an eyebrow. "Look who's talking."

Ren winked at him. "Touche." He turned his attention to Natsuki. "I think Syo might like it better if you actually carried him."

Syo barely had enough time to feel a retort coming on before the taller blond had scooped him up and was carrying him like a bride.

Syo's aquamarine eyes got wide, and his cheeks turned pink. "OI! Put me down!"

He tried wriggling out of Natsuki's grip, but the others' was like steel, and he nuzzled the smaller males' cheek with his own. "No! You're too cute! I don't wanna let you go!"

"Yes yes while you two have your little spat, can someone else please explain where we're going?"

"Well, someone's sure impatient to get going." Ren dragged his fingers down the small of Masato's back, receiving an elbow to the hip that had him doubled over.

"And I'll keep going lower, so take a hint." The irate bluette warned once again.

Otoya stepped in with the information he sought. "Uh, we were gonna go to Natsuki's, remember? Cause he has the biggest living room."

"We could just go to your place Masato." Ren had recovered from his near-death experience. "Your house, or rather mansion, is the biggest of all." This was accompanied by a smirk.

"I think you can rest assured that we shall do no such thing. Especially with you in the picture."

Ren made a small displeased noise, bumping Masato's shoulder with his head, but remained silent.

"Oh, we were?" Natsuki turned his attention to the others. "We already passed it! It's four houses back!"

As if by some unsaid signal, everyone turned on their heels and marched back the way they came, Natsuki, still carrying Syo, hurrying to catch up.

* * *

Natsuki really did have the biggest living room. It could have fit twenty people, easily. The only downside was that the room was painted a bright yellow-green, of which still needed to be repainted.

As a matter of fact, the entire house was somewhat large. Which was also a reason why Natsuki had Syo living with him. Not only were they able to halve the bill, but they were also no longer lonely.

Syo's only family, his twin brother, had moved away to go to college to become a doctor. Syo had stayed local, thus leaving him all alone in his home.

Natsuki hadn't had anyone to begin with, so they both benefited from the arrangement.

As everyone made themselves comfortable on one of the three couches, on the floor, or up against a wall, Syo went up to the bedroom he and Natsuki shared to get more pillows for their friends.

In the meantime, Natsuki brought in from the kitchen everybody's desired beverages and set them out on the glass-top table in the center of the room.

Syo came back down and threw half a dozen multi-colored pillows to the people on the couches, then grabbed Natsuki and fell to the floor onto a couple pillows of their own.

Natsuki's arm immediately wrapped around his shoulders, and all six of them settled down for a long day of doing nothing.

* * *

Syo yawned as he waved goodbye to Tokiya, who walked quickly out of sight.

As the small blond closed the door he yawned again and turned to see Natsuki dozing on the couch, his head dipping slightly forward.

Syo chuckled a bit under his breath and made his way over to the taller blond.

It was just the two of them now. Otoya had gone home first around three hours earlier, saying he had a headache.

He was soon followed by Masato, who claimed he had housework to do.

Surprisingly, Tokiya had put up with Ren for the better part of an hour before the dirty-blond had also left, leaving the raven as the last guest, which was certainly a rarity.

"I had nothing better to do." He claimed.

But now it was just Natsuki and Syo left, and they were both practically nodding off while standing, so the smaller blond decided that just this once they could go to bed a little early.

He was just about to reach over and gently rouse Natsuki so they could go up to bed when his cell phone vibrated loudly and scared the living bejesus out of both poor blonds.

Natsuki jerked so violently his glassed were knocked askew, and Syo helped him readjust them as he took his phone from his pocket.

"Huh? It's Tokiya…"

As he looked at the screen, he couldn't help but wonder why the raven was calling him. He never called him. Or anyone for that matter. Oh! Otoya probably left something lying around that he'd forgotten to pick up.

He answered. "Hey, did you l-"

"Do you know the alleyway behind our house?" Tokiya cut him off.

Syo pouted slightly, but answered. "Yeah, why?"

"I need you and Natsuki to come there, and bring everyone. _Everyone_. _Now._ I mean it Kurusu."

He hung up.

Syo held the phone away from his ear as loud static permeated the silence that had come over the room.

When Syo looked down, Natsuki already had his phone out and was in the process of calling Otoya.

"Call Masato." He was already up and moving towards the door.

Syo, confused, quirked an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

Natsuki turned to look at him incredulously. "Where do you think? Come on! Let's go, or did you not realize that Toki was talking so loud _I_ could hear him? Something's wrong, and Otoya isn't answering his phone. I'll call Ren and then call Otoya back. Let's get going, it'll only take a few minutes to get there."

Syo nodded and sprinted towards the open door, phone out and dialing Masato.

* * *

Syo was thankful it was summer, because he wouldn't have had the time to grab a jacket with Natsuki yanking him out the door.

But then again, at the pace they were going he was on his way to overheating anyway, so it probably wouldn't have mattered.

They had finally made it into the vicinity of the alleyway, with Ren and Masato in tow.

No one had managed to reach Otoya, but with their luck he had left his phone downstairs and gone to bed upstairs because that was just the way his logic, or lack thereof, worked.

The crunching of four pairs of feet on gravel was heard, and as they quickly rounded a bend in the alley pathway, they all stopped short.

There, not ten feet from them, was Tokiya.

And Otoya.

Syo heard it when Natsuki sucked in a breath, and he heard it when Ren and Masato sent gravel flying as they jumped into action, running to Tokiya's side, but what he didn't hear was the choked half-sob half-wail that tore itself unbidden from his own throat.

Tokiya looked up from Otoya and snarled forcefully at Ren and Masato, showing a face streaked with tears and eyes burning with rage.

In his arms he cradled Otoya's body. The redhead's hair was matted with blood on the right side and red had seeped into the white fabric of his summer hoodie, streaking all the way down his arm.

His face was deathly pale and he wasn't moving, not one bit.

And there, resting on the top of his hoodie pocket, laid a small square of parchment, one of the corners stained with a tiny drop of blood.

It looked like it had been folded multiple times and then recently reopened.

Natsuki and Syo stepped forward cautiously. "Is he…" Syo began, then trailed off.

Tokiya turned his savage eyes on the blond, and that one look told him all he needed to know.

Tokiya didn't take his eyes off of Syo. "I found it in his hoodie pocket." The ravens voice sounded rougher than the gravel they were stepping upon. He snarled. "_Read it._"

Everybody looked towards the parchment at once.

Scrawled in messy, sharp letters, the parchment read:

**"You never thought about how others were feeling, all you cared about was having a good time yourself.**

**But the only thing you ever were was a noisy pain in the ass**

**with and empty head.**

**All I did was prove it.**

**- The Perfectionist"**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**So...imagine the note handwriting (both now and in the future) as very messy and jagged with sharp letters. The font I originally typed it in doesn't transfer, so I just bolded it...**_

_**characters © not mine**_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116**_


	3. There Is A Rose Garden

The room was silent, aside from the occasional wail of a siren outside. Natsuki's living room felt even bigger than usual, even with five people in it.

Ren and Masato were sitting side-by-side on one of the couches while Syo and Natsuki sat on the floor beside the couch on which Tokiya was laying. Not one word was spoken.

Tokiya stared impassively at the ceiling, the two blonds beside him had their gazes locked to the floor, and Ren and Masato only exchanged a couple glances before they too miraculously found the carpet fibers very interesting. It was over an hour before anyone finally spoke.

It was Syo. "Toki?" He whispered almost silently.

The raven didn't move. Syo scrunched up his eyebrows with worry.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about it, and don't get mad, but will you tell us what happened?" Tokiya didn't move for so long Syo thought he was going to be ignored, but then he spoke.

His voice, although not very loud at all, seemed to echo in the silence of the huge room. "I was just walking home. Apparently he was too. That alleyway led right up to the house, as you know, so he was almost home…"

He paused and swallowed thickly, and Natsuki offered him a glass of water. He slowly took the glass, sat up, and took a drink, then swallowed again and continued. "I was in a hurry. It was getting late, and I wanted to see how he was doing. When I turned the corner…that's when I found him…"

"Did you see anyone else around?" Syo inquired gently.

Tokiya shook his head. "No. And he hadn't been…alive…either…he was cold when I…"

He clamped his mouth shut and two large tears rolled silently down his face.

Everyone in the room held their breath. Seeing Tokiya cry was definitely something none of them ever thought would happen, nor did they wish to experience it again.

The raven cleared his throat loudly and sniffed. "I found the note when I picked him up. I didn't think he was…gone, yet, so I tried to…"

He stopped talking again, and this time he looked like he was going to be sick. Masato stood and quickly walked over to him, helping him stand. They both disappeared upstairs, presumably to the bathroom, and everyone was silent once more.

Ren sighed. "I talked to an officer before they left. He said that the paramedics had concluded he was hit once. With a hammer."

Natsuki and Syo's heads shot up.

"A _hammer_?" Natsuki said incredulously.

Ren nodded. "He had nothing on him, meaning money or anything of the sort, so it wasn't a robbery. They, and I'm sure we'll vouch for this, don't think it was a mugging either."

Syo felt the blood drain from his face. "So what you're saying is…"

Ren nodded slowly. "Yes. This is officially a murder case."

As if on cue, the three downstairs became aware of the sound of Tokiya vomiting upstairs, and Syo grabbed a glass of water on the table, forcing the water down his throat along with the bile that was threatening to rise.

"But…does Tokiya know?"

Ren nodded. "Why else do you think he called us before he called the police?"

Silence reigned once more until some time later when Tokiya and Masato descended the stairs once more.

As the two seated themselves once more, Syo spoke up. "I think you all should just stay here tonight."

This was met with frosty glances.

Masato stood up. "I think not."

Ren stood as well. "I agree. The probability of something else happening tonight is very slim."

"But it's still there…" Natsuki muttered next to Syo.

"I'll walk you home." Ren had addressed Masato, but the bluette was staring at the carpet, unresponsive.

The dirty-blond gently brushed aside some of his hair, placing a light kiss on his temple. Masato started.

"Come on." Ren gently tugged his hand, caressing the back of his wrist with his thumb. Masato moved slowly towards the door with him, lacing their fingers together before they stepped outside.

The door shut softly behind them and Tokiya rose also.

"You're not going home are you?" Natsuki furrowed his eyebrows.

The raven shrugged.

Syo sighed in exasperation. "Just stay here Tokiya. You can have the guest bedroom for a couple days, and-"

"No." Tokiya's voice was firm. "I'm going home."

And with that, he left.

As the door shut behind him Syo jumped to his feet and ran upstairs, taking two steps at a time. "I'm going to bed Natsuki."

The taller blond sighed and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand before he got up.

Trying to get himself back on his feet, he washed all of the glasses they had used throughout the day, but by the time he made it up to bed to find Syo still awake and sobbing quietly, he gave up and crawled into bed with the smaller, taking him in his arms and holding him close.

It was almost four in the morning, but neither of them were tired enough to sleep, so they stayed that way until the sun began creeping its way above the horizon.

Only then was Syo able to close his eyes and find sleep, but not Natsuki. He was constantly moving around, and right as Syo was on the brink of sleep, Natsuki seemed to settle, and so did he.

There was more shifting a little while later that half-woke him, but he just pressed into Natsuki's warmth and the other settled down once more, finally falling asleep, but even that was restless.

* * *

It was barely two hours later that Syo was woken up by Natsuki reaching for his loudly vibrating phone on the nightstand.

"Natsuki?" He questioned groggily.

He had felt the blond stiffen in bed, and he opened his big blue eyes to find Natsuki staring dumbly at his phone.

"What's wrong?"

"That was Masato."

Syo rubbed his eyes briefly. "It was? What did he say."

Natsuki turned tired, fearful emerald eyes to his partner.

"Two words. 'Garden. Now.'"

* * *

There was only one garden in the entire town that Masato could have meant: Ren's.

An award-winning garden enclosed by a white picket fence, filled to bursting with pansies, cosmos, foxgloves, bluebells, lily of the valley, and dahlias, but mostly consisting of the dirty-blond's specialty: roses.

Roses of every color and size completely filled every gap in the greenery, and Ren tended them with the utmost care and devotion.

Natsuki and Syo got there first, being the ones living closest to Ren other than Masato.

As they navigated their way through thousands of leaves and petals, they kept looking for the bluette who had called them there.

"Masato?" Syo murmured. "Are you here?"

There was a sharp intake of breath somewhere to their right, and both blonds turned their attention that way.

"Syo…Natsuki…"

It was Masato's voice…it held a quiver.

Syo had spotted Masato; in between a red rosebush and a white rosebush, looking stunned.

The small blonds stomach dropped as he grabbed Natsuki's wrist and crashed through the plants to get the bluette.

Syo nearly tripped over…Ren.

Masato looked up at him dumbly, and Syo registered the scratches covering his face before he registered the garden stake in Ren's chest.

Natsuki sank to his knees and covered his mouth with both hands, valiantly fighting back tears and a wail.

Ren could have been asleep, if not for the stake through his heart. He looked peaceful, even if the bushes and stems around him had been bent and broken and overall trampled.

He looked as if he'd been planting, if the un-potted and seemingly dropped baby rosebush and dirt on Ren's fingers were anything to go by.

There was a single red rose, thornless, laying on his chest next to where the end of the stake protruded.

And there, wrapped around the stem…was a small piece of parchment.

Syo looked over to the bluette, who had placed his hand over Ren's and was softly dragging his thumb back and forth over the blonds cold skin.

The bluette turned water-logged eyes to him, and Syo swallowed, gesturing to the rose. Masato bit his lip and shook his head in refusal.

"Masato…" It was Natsuki this time.

Masato blinked and the tears spilled over, but he sniffed and reached out shakily to take the rose.

He unwound the small bit of parchment from the stem and looked down at the messy handwriting.

Within the first second he was biting his lip, then he began to sob and show anger, and finally, he threw the paper from him like he had been burned and wailed loudly.

Masato's grip on the rose audibly snapped the stem, and he curled in on himself and cried out as if in pain.

It was then that Tokiya finally appeared. His face was white as he helped Natsuki get Masato to his feet and lead him away from Ren as the first sirens were heard.

Syo, however, could only stare in horror at the message now laying at his feet as the sirens screamed and Masato's cried reached a crescendo.

**"Even though you had someone you still kept on flirting with everything that moved, even me.**

**I HATE people who are disloyal, especially when the other person does nothing but love you.**

**And yet, you still persisted.**

**The one who loves you deserves better.**

**I hope you flirt with the Angels so much God sends you to Hell.**

**See you there.**

**- The Perfectionist"**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**For once I really don't have much to say. Why am I breaking this up into chapters? **_

_**characters © not mine**_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116**_


	4. Waiting For Us

This time the room was not quiet.

Natsuki was running back and forth like a madman with ice water and damp cloths and tissues, occasionally tripping over a table or rug because of the tears filling his own eyes.

Syo was busy with his forehead drumming on the wall precisely every five seconds.

Masato was wrapped up in a blanket in Tokiya's arms, being rocked back and forth gently as he sobbed loudly.

He was inconsolable. It had been over twelve hours since they, _he_ found Ren, and ever since he had read the note left by the killer he hadn't stopped crying.

Tokiya, who was usually prickly to the touch and generally hard to handle, had stepped up and volunteered his shoulder to Masato, and he had been with him almost constantly since that morning.

And now, he spoke. "I talked to the police over the phone."

There was silence for a minute, as if everyone was waiting for Masato, which they were in fact, to make any sign of protest.

When none was forthcoming, Tokiya continued. "Apparently he had been planting the seedlings he had from last year early this morning; I assume he was unable to sleep, and someone came up from behind him. There were signs that he fought…"

He paused and looked at Masato, who buried his face in Tokiya's shoulder and hiccupped. "Whoever they were, at the very least he punched them, and they were both thrown into one of the rosebushes. He didn't have any gardening tools or anything else with him that could have been used as a weapon, so whoever attacked him…They…"

He paused again and swallowed. "They pulled up one of the garden stakes and…" He stopped.

Masato released a whimper and Tokiya tucked the blanket closer around him.

Everyone was silent, aside from the occasional sniffles from Masato and Natsuki.

"One of us did it."

The room stopped breathing.

Tokiya's tone was cold as ice.

"Y-you can't be serious." Syo had turned to look at him, his sheer disbelief plain to see.

"I am _dead_ serious." His eyes narrowed and he stood from his place beside Masato. "Ren said just last night that another attack was very unlikely, but now look at him. And if I recall correctly, _someone_ mentioned that there was 'always a possibility' of something happening."

Tokiya's eyes narrowed dangerously at Natsuki, who paled. "You…you think _I_ did it?"

Before Tokiya could speak, Syo leapt to the blonds defense. "How could you say that!? I thought we were all friends! Who are you to say that it was one of us?"

Tokiya hummed. "It's just a bit too coincidental for my tastes. I'll be leaving now."

"Well who's to say you didn't do it then!? You're just as likely a suspect as Natsuki or the rest of us!"

Tokiya stopped abruptly and turned around, fire in his eyes. "Indeed, except for one little thing: _I_ **know** _I_didn't do it."

And with that, he was gone, the door slamming behind him.

Masato suddenly jumped up from the couch, shed the blanket and walked towards the door.

"Masato, wait-!"

"I'm going _home_. I refuse to stay here any longer!" His voice broke badly, tears still coursing down his face, but he ignored it and instead opted to leave, just as he threatened.

Syo just stood there, immobile, until he became aware of the sound of sobbing.

He turned around to see Natsuki with his face in his hands, his cheeks wet with a dozen tears.

"My own friends think I killed them?" Was all he managed to say before tears choked him.

Syo threw his arms around the blond and buried his face in his hair, tears of his own sliding down his cheeks. "God no, Natsuki. I don't know what the hell's the matter with them. I know you would never hurt a fly. Hell, you won't even kill spiders. They can just shut up, because I know you, and I know you would never do anything like this crazy mess going on now."

Natsuki held him in a crushing grip that he returned, burying his own face in the smallers' neck and shaking with sobs.

Syo squeezed Natsuki's shoulders and kissed his hair, he always loved it when Syo would kiss his hair.

Syo just held him like that until he felt his shaking subside, and in place of the sobbing, quiet little hiccups.

Moving slowly, the smaller blond took one of the unused damp cloths from the glass table between the couches and turned Natsuki's face to him.

Swallowing the sorrowful lump rising in his throat at seeing his partner's red eyes and wet face, he gently began swiping the soft cloth over his cheeks to rid them of the salt water.

He finished by swiping his thumbs underneath Natsuki's eyes gently, and Natsuki sniffed.

Before Syo could even tell his body not to move, he had leaned forward and kissed the end of the taller blonds nose and pressed their foreheads together.

He closed his eyes and let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and he suddenly felt Natsuki's soft lips cover his own.

It wasn't a very demanding kiss, just a slight pressure of Natsuki's mouth against his, but Syo still felt the others' lips trembling, and he pressed harder, trying to will it away.

The innocence of the kiss was soon replaced by passion, with Syo straddling Natsuki's hips while their tongues fought, the air in between them thick with heat.

Natsuki suddenly broke the kiss and stood up, Syo's thighs still around his waist, and carried the small bond upstairs as the latter peppered his face with kisses.

Soon after, clothes were discarded, and the bedroom air became hot with the twos' mingled breaths and gasps.

Syo pulled Natsuki down for a kiss, his scream of pain and pleasure muffled by his partner's mouth.

As Natsuki slowly began to move, pressing their bodies so close that not even air passed between them, he kissed the space behind Syo's ear and then moved down to his neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses to the front of his love's throat.

Syo gasped and pulled Natsuki in for another kiss, Natsuki whispering 'I love you' like a mantra into his mouth.

Syo locked his legs around Natsuki's waist as he began thrusting harder, hands on his shoulders and the back of his neck.

The room was once again filled with gasps and moans and frantically whispered 'I love you's as the two sank into a world that was entirely their own, made up of nothing but each other.

* * *

Natsuki was fidgeting again. "Do you really think we should be doing this?"

Syo nodded. "I, for one, am not willing to let this just float around above our heads. We'll talk to Masato first. Trying to convince him won't be as hard as it would be with Tokiya, but he's next. I don't know what got into him, but I'll convince him that none of us did it, single-handedly if I have to."

"Syo…"

The petite blond glanced up at Natsuki. He was giving him that small smile of appreciation he always gave when he didn't know how to put his thoughts into words.

Syo smiled back and took Natsuki's hand in his as they arrived at the mansion where Masato lived.

It was huge, but it was homey, inside and out. There were honeysuckle bushes leading up to the front door, and then there was a trumpet flower vine growing on the arch over the door.

And from the few times they had been inside, Syo and Natsuki knew that Masato liked to keep things simple. He lived alone, but his home looked well lived-in, as well as very tidy.

Syo was just about to step onto the walkway going from the sidewalk to Masato's front door when he caught sight of Tokiya, who had almost reached them.

Natsuki stiffened, Syo could feel it, and he squeezed his hand harder as Tokiya opened his mouth to speak. "Funny seeing you two here."

Syo glared subtly at him. "Really? I don't hear any laughter."

Tokiya sniffed. "What are you two doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing."

"I don't believe that is any of your business."

Natsuki let out a small, miffed noise, as did Syo. "Come on Natsu."

He gently tugged on his hand, and the two walked up to Masato's front door, ringing the bell, with Tokiya right behind them.

When Syo gave him a questioning look, he spoke without being asked the question first. "Hm, I needed to speak to him as well you know."

It was then they noticed that Masato hadn't come to the door. He was usually right on top of things like opening the door to guests, being polite and all that, but now there wasn't a sound coming from within his home.

Syo rang the doorbell two more times, but they were still waiting minutes later.

Natsuki's palm was sweating in Syo's grip, and he knew he was the same, his mouth dry and sticky from a sudden dread creeping up his spine.

Even Tokiya, who wasn't normally one to lose his cool, was biting his lip, his eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly in the middle.

After another minute of silence, Syo supplied. "Maybe he's in the bath?"

Natsuki shook his head. "I don't think so. Remember what he always said about how it was pointless in the middle of the day? It's past one o'clock."

Tokiya suddenly leaned forward and tried the door.

It was unlocked, and almost swung inward at his touch.

They all gaped at the door for a moment. Masato _never_ left his door unlocked thanks to…a certain blond…

"I'm going in." Tokiya practically ran through the door, Syo and Natsuki on his heels.

They ran through the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen looking for their friend, trying not to sound panicky as they called his name.

Syo and Natsuki had just popped into the downstairs bathroom to check while Tokiya was going to start on the next level when they heard a strangled, staccato scream.

They both froze like statues.

Natsuki's mouth was ajar, and Syo's words almost didn't get out.

"Did Tokiya just…?"

The two blonds flew out the door quicker than they thought they could, running across the short distance of the living room to the stairway.

"Stay back!" Tokiya screamed as they skidded into the area where the commotion had come from.

Natsuki pulled Syo close as they took in what was before them.

Masato was lying in the middle of the floor, dark red blood pooling around his head like a disgusting halo.

The stairs that led up to the next level had banisters, and there were stairs on both sides of the room that curled around to join together at the top in a sort of platform.

One that morphed into a hallway leading to more parts of the mansion.

Syo was shaking like a leaf. "M-maybe he f-fell…"

Tokiya's voice, when he spoke, was rough as sandpaper. "He was pushed."

He stood up and held a small piece of paper in the palm of his hand, folded twice into a smaller square. "It was lying on his chest."

Tokiya's eyes were lifeless as he opened the small piece of paper and read it, then turned it to the blond's so they could read it as well.

But it was strange, it looked like there were two different styles of handwriting on it…

**"You still loved him, no matter how many times he cheated on you.**

**I don't hate you for it, not at all.**

**This is more merciful, I think. What with him being gone and all.**

_I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt you. Rest in peace now._

**- The Perfectionist"**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**Okay, the bold lettering is still the sharp, jagged letters, but italics is more cursive and smooth and loopy. Again, font doesn't transfer. *shrug***_

_**characters © not mine**_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116**_


	5. No One Is Perfect

'_This has to be Hell personified.'_

Just as before, with all of the others, Tokiya, Natsuki and I were questioned by the police.

When we were finished, there was talk of taking us all back to the police station, but they gave us a choice, and we all declined.

I didn't know about the others, but I just wanted to go home.

I felt nauseated, and I had a sudden fear that I wouldn't even make it until I got home.

At a time like this, you'd think there wouldn't be much anyone, even your significant other, could do, but as usual Natsuki proved me wrong.

The walk home was torture, for the both of us, but somewhere along the way, Natsuki managed to get me onto his back, piggy-style.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his hair, just breathing in his scent and waiting in silence for us to get home.

Once we were inside, Natsuki laid me down on the couch and disappeared into the kitchen.

When he came back in, his arms were full. He set down a couple glasses of ice water, he knows I don't like warm drinks when I don't feel well, and then placed a damp cloth on my forehead, his own across the back of his neck.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe quietly, not wanting to make any unnecessary noise, and Natsuki ran his fingers through my hair from where he sat on the ground next to the couch.

He always did like sitting on the floor more.

I didn't know how long we just sat there, but eventually I drifted off to sleep.

The next thing I was aware of was being tucked into bed, and when Natsuki climbed into the bed from the other side, I reached out to him.

He took me in his arms and I clung to him, burying my face in his nightshirt.

I felt him place a kiss to the top of my head, and then I was asleep.

* * *

Syo blinked his eyes open, but wished he hadn't.

The mother of all headaches assaulted him as soon as he shifted, and he groaned.

Natsuki sat up. "Are you alright?"

Syo grimaced. "I'll be fine once I get some aspirin."

It was right after Syo had done just that that Natsuki caught his attention. "You know, I think we should go find Tokiya…"

Syo sighed dejectedly. "I don't know if he'll believe us or not."

Natsuki shook his head. "I don't care about convincing him anymore, I just think the three of us need to…leave."

"Leave?" Syo echoed. "And go where?"

Natsuki ran a hand through his sleep-ruffled hair. "I don't know. Anywhere, just, get away from this place."

Syo thought for a moment. "But…but what if Tokiya really is…you know…"

"I refuse to believe any of us did it. I just won't I don't know what's going on here, and I don't think I _want_ to know. But I think it would be for the best if we just left."

Syo was silent for a long time, just staring into the sink. When he raised his head, he nodded. "You're probably right. Let's go tell Tokiya. Maybe we can still talk a bit of sense into him."

Natsuki nodded in assent.

* * *

When the two blonds walked up to Tokiya's door, they knocked a few times and turned that handle, finding it was open.

Tokiya almost always left his door unlocked, but why they didn't know, since he was usually the most untrusting of them all.

The two let themselves in, calling out to the raven. "Oi, Tokiya. We have to talk to you about something imp-"

Syo stopped mid-sentence.

Natsuki had froze at the entrance to the living room, mouth agape, eyes wide and filled with horror.

That was when he smelled it.

The thick, heavy, overpowering smell of blood. It was all he could smell, it forced its way into his mouth, across his tongue and down his throat until he could practically taste it.

He gagged and ran to Natsuki's side. "NO!" The emerald eyed male shrieked, pulling Syo's face into his chest, but it was too late.

Syo had seen him. Tokiya was lying at their feet, drenched in his own blood from the bullet wounds in his chest.

His eyes were empty and staring, no longer seeing, and trails of blood had slipped past his parted lips.

Natsuki ushered Syo outside quickly, and just in time too. Syo broke away from him and doubled over, vomiting.

Natsuki knew he must have been pale as a sheet, but he felt hot sweat pour down his back, and he swallowed, willing his voice not to break with what he said next.

"There was…a piece of paper…in his hand…"

He didn't think Syo heard him.

He went back inside, despite his mind screaming at him to _RUNRUNRUN_.

The paper was clutched in Tokiya's hand, crumpled up, and he took it as gently as he could, tears pooling in his eyes.

As soon as he had the paper, a choked sob made its way past his lips and he bolted for the door.

Once outside again, he found Syo staring up at him with huge eyes from where he had fallen to his knees, his expression the most disturbed Natsuki had ever seen. It was just them now…

**"I took your precious one first and almost left you for last.**

**I hate you.**

**I hate the way you treated everybody who wasn't him. I hate the way you don't trust**

**ANYONE. I hate you for never really seeing anyone but him as your friend.**

**You act like we don't matter to you, so let me return the favor.**

**- The Perfectionist"**

* * *

_**A/N**_

―(T_T)→

_**characters © not mine **_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116**_


	6. But Even So

'_Why did this happen?'_

I only wished I knew.

A thousand things were running amok in my head as I made my way back home, plastic shopping bags in my hands, but the question of 'Why' was most prominent.

It's been just about a week since Tokiya died…Natsuki and I are getting the last of our things together, we're leaving in the morning.

To where, I have no idea. Anywhere but here. I don't have the slightest idea how we're actually going to continue to _live_ after all this, but I suppose that's just one of those things you deal with when you get there.

I let out a heavy sigh, half expecting my breath to freeze in front of me. I always used the phrase 'Hell will freeze over' when I was trying to make a point of how impossible something was.

Well, if Hell isn't enduring an ice age right now, it never will. Despite my thoughts of freezing, it was a hot, muggy night, still right in the middle of summer.

The street lamps above me shone a dull yellow, making the leaves of trees and grass look more colorful than they really were, but I suppose everything is like that now.

Everything once beautiful to me has lost its luster, and I don't know if I'll ever see them the same way again…

Aside from Natsuki…He will always be beautiful to me…

* * *

Syo sighed as he locked the door behind him, resting his head momentarily on the white-painted wood.

He took a deep breath and tried not to look too unhappy as he turned around and made his way into the kitchen to put the groceries on the counter, within easy reach for when they left on the morrow.

But the bags and their contents fell to the ground with a crash and thud when he beheld the sight waiting for him in the kitchen.

Natsuki's glass, along with it's contents, covered the floor with shards of glass and liquid right next to the blond himself.

Syo crashed to his knees, ignoring the fire of pain as he landed, and took Natsuki's face in his hands.

The blond's emerald eyes were closed for good, and no breath was forthcoming, but his skin was still warm to the touch.

Syo barely noticed the thin trails of blood coming from his nose and lips through his tears.

There was no note, no reason, and Syo just held his beloved's head to his chest and wept, staying with him through the night, even though he knew he was gone, until the policemen who were to escort them found him the next morning.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**characters © not mine**_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116 **_


	7. I Still Love You

It's been years since then, now.

Almost ten actually.

I have no idea why I'm going back. I've never visited my friend's graves once in the past. I hope I'm not too horrible a person for that.

Though I would like to see the neighborhood once again. I never found anyone after Natsuki, and I'm not surprised.

I never loved anyone the way I loved him, and I don't think I want to again.

I miss him too much. I miss all of them.

I suppose ten years was enough time for me to run away, but now, all I want to do is see them, even if it's only five headstones in a row.

I have a bouquet for each of them.

Red lilies for Otoya, red roses for Ren, honeysuckle for Masato, moonflowers for Tokiya, and…sunflowers for Natsuki.

* * *

Syo looked up into the oak tree with a smile.

In ten years, it had grown even taller and wider than ever.

He leapt up into the tree on his own, no longer needing assistance…not that he would receive it…

The blond shook such thoughts from his head and climbed higher, and higher, ever higher.

The tree really had grown, and if he thought he and Natsuki had been high up all those years ago, he had another thing coming.

The brittle, waxy green leaves blew gently as Syo stood up on the branch he and Natsuki had lain upon many a summer and autumn afternoon, letting his eyes roam over the town he once called his own.

He saw Masato's mansion, still vacant, with Ren's garden just a couple houses down, still growing, but not flourishing as it once had.

He saw Otoya and Tokiya's shared residence, and Natsuki's and his own.

Such sights made his heart clench painfully, and he sat down upon the branch, leaning back.

Suddenly, he felt a space open up behind him, and when he turned around, he could not believe his eyes.

Smaller now from years of growth, but still recognizable, was a knot in the tree where Natsuki and himself had sometimes placed things.

Just little things, like a dried flower or a trinket they had found, or even a note to the other.

They were the only two who went up in the tree, so they knew no one else would read it if they left it.

For a moment, Syo was undecided.

'_Should I?'_

The blond shrugged, it couldn't do any real harm, could it?

He reached into the hole and felt around for a moment, and he was very surprised when his hand came into contact with a slim, plastic tube.

Upon taking it out, he realised it was a tube once used to hold bubbles, but now there was a piece of paper rolled up and wedged inside.

Syo swallowed thickly, but opened the top and took the paper out anyway.

It was yellow and brittle, with even little bits of mold forming on the corners, but he paid it no heed as he rolled the paper the opposite way to flatten it somewhat.

When he finished, Syo turned the paper over and read it…the read it again…and again…

'_I don't understand…'_

Syo couldn't even fully wrap his brain around what he was reading, but when it finally sunk in, he frowned, stood, and let the paper slip from his grasp.

He looked at the clear blue sky through the leaves of the oak tree, saying to no one.

"I should have done this ten years ago…"

He let himself fall forward.

The paper was carried away by the wind, and before it even hit the ground, it was taken by a robin who was intent on using it for nesting material.

* * *

**"**_My small and cute one!_** Syo, I'm sorry I hurt you, I know I have, but I couldn't stand by any longer and let the rest of them **_outshine_** you and **_bypass_** you.**

**You are so much **_cuter!_** better than the rest of them, and they needed to see that.**

**You're the **_only one_** who is absolutely **_perfect_**, and I wanted to make sure you**

**knew that.**

**You are my **_everything!_

_I love you!_**"**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**Did you have fun? **_

_**Like it? Hate it? I wanna know about it. As long as you have a username and a valid complaint in your review I won't argue. Any errors? Tell me. This has been fun, but ciao.**_

_**characters © not mine **_

_**story © MarluxiaSutcliff116**_


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